Motor



J. BIJUR.

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man FEB. 24, 1919.

1,343,029. Patented June 8,1920.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH BIJUR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BIJUR- PATENT OFFICE.

MOTOR APPLIANCE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJune s, 1920.

Original application filed June 25, 1913, Serial No. 775,670. Renewed November 23, 1918, Serial No. 263,947. Divided and this application filed February 24, 1919. Serial No. 278,918.

To all whom it'mag concern: ie it known that I, Josnrn BIJ R, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the. borough of Manhattan city of New York, county and State of ew ork, have invented an Improvement in Engine-Starting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my application for engine starting apparatus, filed June 25, 1913, and issued June 17, 1919, as Patent No. 1,307,177.

This invention relates to engine-starting apparatus, and with regard to certain more specific features, to electrical means for starting internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide practical; inexpensive and durable means for setting in rotation an automobile engine-or other prime mover incapable of starting itself.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the above type in which the source of power used for starting the engine is positively, effectively and completely disengaged from the engine when the latter has started, regardless of the position of the manually operated parts.

Another object is to provide starting apparatus embodying a reliable and durable automatic disengaging device whose action is wholly independent of electric currents.

Another object is to provide a compact arrangement of parts wherein centrifugal force acting upon suitably disposed masses is utilized to nnmesh a gear and pinion connected respectively with the engine and the starting motor.

Another object is to provide a simple and durable starting apparatus of few parts, inexpensive to manufacture, easily assembled and efficient in action.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in .part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the ap- I plication of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of starting apparatus;

Figs." 2 and 3 are similar views of the same apparatus showing the parts in different positions; and

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

fnmilar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

By wayof explanation, it may be stated that the present invention is directed, in some of its more specific features, to the starting of automobile engines.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at 1 a member, such-as a fly-wheel, in driving connection with the engine ,(not shown), to which the starting apparatus is applied. On this fly-wheel 1 is a gear 2 adapted at predetermined times to mesh with the teeth of a pinion 3, the latter being feather-keyed upon the shaft 41 of an electric or other motor 5. Inasmuch as an electric motor is preferred for rotating the shaft upon which the pinion 3 is mounted, such a motor is illustrated in the drawings, with its field '6 and armature 7 in series with each other and with the main switch 8.

The pinion 3 is provided with suitable teeth 12 adapted to mesh with the teeth of gear 2 upon the pinion being moved endwise as hereinafter described.

In thisillustrative embodimentof my invention, there is provided a foot pedal 22 co-actingwith a retracting spring 23 in swinging a bell crank lever 2&1, the lower arm of which is provided with a pin-andslot connection witha reciprocal rod 50.

A preferred means for supplying current to the motor is illustrated in Fig. 1 as comprising the main switch 8 whose movable contacts 27, :28 are. mounted directly on the horizontal shaft 51. As indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a slight movement of the shaft 51 is sufficient to establish anelectrical connection between the movable contact 27 and the fixed contacts 29, 30, thereby completing a circuit from the positive side of the battery 31 through the armature 7 and. field 6 of the motor, starting resistance 32, fixed contact 29, movable contact 27 and fixed contact 30 to the negative side of the bat tery, and as a result the armature 7 and pinion 3 rotate slowly.

It will be seen that if a slight amount of current be supplied to the motor in order to set it in slow rotation, the pinion will turn sufliciently to insure meshing with the teeth of the gear as soon as the former has moved sufficiently far toward the right.

The means whereby this meshing movement of the pinion is brought about in this illustrative embodiment of the invention, is as follows: The reciprocal rod 50 above referred to, is connected with the shaft 51 of the switch 8 and with a grooved collar 48 on the extended shaft 4:. Between this collar 48 and pinion 8 are a pair of toggles each comprising a pair of links 49 pivoted one to another and weighted as shown in Fig. a of the drawings at 4 7. These toggles are normally held in extended position by the spiral spring 52 about the shaft.

The swinging of the bell crank lever 24 about its fixed pivot not only actuates the switch rod or shaft 51 as above described, but slides collar 48 along the shaft, and acting through these toggles and the spring 52, moves pinion 23 into mesh with the gear 2. It will be seen that the collar 48 occupies a limiting position in Figs. 2 and 3, the switch 28 acting as a stop means to prevent further movement of said collar.

In order to prevent downward movement of the pedal 22 which as above described causes meshing of the pinion with gear 2, when the engine is running, there is provided at a locking detent controlled by the magnet 36 energized from the generator 37 which is driven from the engine. This detent co-acts with a locking groove 4:3 in the pedal 22. The construction and action of these parts form in themselves no part of the present invention and are more fully described in my Patent No. 1,307.17'7, above referred to.

There is also provided in this case an automatic switch -16 controlled by a series coil 4% and shunt coil 45 to govern the connection of the generator 37 with the switch battery 31.

In the present embodiment the pinion is moved toward the left, out of engagement with the gear, either by releasing the pressure on the pedal 22 and allowing the spring 23 to rotate the bell-crank lever 24: clockwise or by the outward movement of the weights 4L7 secured as indicated, to the pinion 3 and collar 48 by the pivoted links 49 as above described.

\Vhen the engine is to be started the pedal 22 is depressed, thereby moving toward the right the horizontal shaft 50, collar -8, and switch rod 51. One or more of the weights 47 may at this time tend to buckle outward,

' spring, effect the movement of the pinion 3 toward the gear 2. In this manner the force or power for the meshing movement is transmitted from lever 2i and thence from member i8 to pinion 3 through coil spring 52 and thus the endwise movement of the pinion is yielding. Connection is made at the auxiliary contacts 29, 27, 30 of the main switch 8 to set the motor in slow rotation prior to engagement, and, as soon as engagement is completed, the closing of the circuit at the main contacts 33, 28, 34: short-circuits resistance and energizes the motor suliiciently to enable it to start the engine. As soon as the engine has started to rotate under its own power, the increased angular velocity of the weights 4? causes them to fly outward and thereby disengage the pinion from the gear 2 even though the pedal 22 remains depressed. Premature reengagement is prevented by the continued rotation at high speed, of the weights 4 7 as long as the pedal is depressed, since the upward movement of the pedal by dei nergizing the motor only after connection is broken at the auxiliary contacts 29, 27, 30 insures the continued rotation, at high speed, of the weights until the collar 48 has almost reached the end of its leftward travel. While the engine is in rotation the interlock 35 prevents the downward movement of the pedal.

Briefly summed up, the operation is as follows :-lVhen the engine is to be started, the pedal 22 is depressed, thereby slowly rotating the motor while the pinion 3 is moved toward the gear and then sending a heavy current through the motor as soon as engagement between gear and pinion has been effected. l.)isengagement is effected by the out n rd movement of the weighted links -19 connected respectively to a pedal-controlled member and to the pinion 3.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted concentric with said shaft, means movable relative to said shaft adapted to move said pinion into mesh with said gear and comprising a connection adapted automatically to move said gear out of mesh upon said engine being started, and a spring against which said meshing means pushes and adapted yieldingly to resist movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during said meshing movement, whereby the force of said meshing movement is yieldingly applied.

2. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft forming an extension in alinement with the armature shaft of said motor and driven thereby, a coiled spring through which said shaft passes, a pinion through which said shaft passes, said spring being adjacent the outer end of said shaft and said pinion being positioned between said spring and said motor and adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, and means movable relative to said shaft adapted to move said pinion into mesh with said gear, said spring being connected to subject it to the force of said meshing movement and to adapt it yieldingly to resist movement of said pinion relative to said shaft away from said gear, whereby the force of said meshing movement is yieldingly applied.

In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal coininistion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted concentric with said shaft, means movable relative to said shaft adapted to move said pinion into mesh with said gear and comprising a connection adapted automatically to move said pinion out of mesh upon said engine being started, and a spring against which said meshing means pushes and adapted yieldingly to resist movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during said meshing movement whereby the force of said meshing movement is yieldingly applied,

said spring being coiled about the axis of said shaft on the side of said pinion remote from said motor.

4. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft forming an extensionsubstantially in alinement with the armature shaft of said motor and driven therefrom, a pinion mounted about said shaft in position to move endwise into mesh with said gear by movement toward and adjacent to said motor, a spring coiled about said shaft adjacent its end remote from said motor, and means adapted to move said pinion into mesh with said gear and to move the same automatically out of mesh upon said engine being started,

said spring being positioned yieldingly to resist movement of said pinion in a direction away from said gear whereby the force of its meshing movement is yieldingly applied.

5. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a flywheel gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting niotor, a shaft in alinement with and forming an extension of the armature shaft of said motor, a pinion mounted concentric with said shaft adapted to be driven from said shaft and mounted to move into mesh with said gear, and a spring mounted yieldingly to oppose movement of said pinion relative to said shaft in a direction away from said gear during the movement of said pinion toward meshing position, said spring being of the coiled type and having said shaft extending therethrough.

6. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric startii'ig motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted. on said shaft in position to move into mesh with said. gear, said shaft being free from other connection with said engine, and an eccentric weight secured directly to said pinion acting centrifugally to prevent re-meshing of said pinion after said engine has been started and said pinion moved out of mesh therewith, said shaft being in alincment with and forming extension of the armature shaft of said motor and said gear being interposed between said motor and said pinion in unmeshed position.

7. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted on said shaft in position to move into mesh with said gear, an eccentric weight secured to said pinion actingcentrifugally to prevent re-connection of said pinion after said engine has been started and said gear moved out of mesh therewith, and. a spring mounted to permit said pinion to yield longitudinally with respect to said shaft during its to said pinion acting centrifugally to pre-- vent re-connection of said pinion after said engine has been started and said gear moved out of mesh therewith, said shaft being in alinement with and forming an extension of the armature shaft of sa d motor and said gear being interposed between said motor and said pinion in umneshed position, and a spring mounted to permit said pinion to yield longitudinally with respect to said shaft during its movement into meshing position.

5). I11 engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted on said shaft in position to move into mesh with said gear, an eccentric weight secured to said pinion acting centrifugally to prevent re-meshing of said pinion after said engine has been started and said pinion moved out of mesh therewith, and a spring mounted to permit said pinion to yield longitudinally with respect to said shaft during its movement into meshing position, said spring being of coiled form disposed about said shaft.

10. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combastion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted about said shaft in position to move into mesh with said gear, an eccentric weight secured to said pinion acting centrifugally to prevent re-meshing of said pinion after said engine has been started and said pinion moved out of mesh therewith, said shaft being in alinement with and forming an extension of the armature shaft of said motor and said gear being interposed between said motor and said pinion in umncshed position, and a spring mounted to permit said pinion to yield longitudinally with respect to said shaft during its movement into meshing position, said spring being of coiled form disposed about said shaft.

11. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, a starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion. upon said shaft adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, said shaft being free from other connection with said engine, and centrifugally controlled means acting to cause said pinion to move out of mesh upon said engine being started whereby said motor is freed from connection with said engine, said centrifugally controlled means being driven from said motor and free from driving connection with said engine.

12. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted on said shaft in position to move endwise into mesh with said gear, a manually actuated member mounted to move along said shaft and a spring coiled about said shaft and interposed between said last member and said pinion through which force is exerted upon said pinion to move the same into mesh with said gear.

13. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted upon said shaft in position to move along said shaft into driving relation to said gear, a manually actuated member having a part adapted to move in substantially the same direction as said pinion, a spring arranged about said shaft between said part of said manually actuated member and said pinion and through which force is transmitted to said pinion to move it into driving relation to said gear, and a connection between said partand said pinion extending outside said spring and symmetrically disposed with respect to said shaft, said connection being adapted to permit said part to move toward and away from said pinion.

14. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor,

a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion driven from said shaft, a toggle connected with said pinion, means acting through said toggle in extendedposition adapted to move said pinion into mesh with said gear, and means tending to hold said toggle in extended position, said toggle being adapted under the influence of a centrifugal force to bend and withdraw said pinion from meshing position upon said engine being started.

15. In engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion slidably mounted upon said shaft to be driven thereby and in position to move endwise into mesh with said gear, a pair of toggles lying in extended position and each connected with said pinion, a spring tending to hold said toggles in extended position, and means acting through said toggles to throw said pinion into meshing position, said toggles being adapted under the influence of centrifugal force to bend and withdraw said pinion upon said engine being started.

16. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted upon said shaft positioned to travel endwise thereof int-o mesh with said gear, a collar mounted upon said shaft and spaced from said pinion, a spring coiled about said shaft between said pinion and said collar pinion and yieldingly move said pinion into mesh, and a means for connecting said collar and said pinion one with another outside said. spring and adapted to permit the move ment of said collar toward and away from said pinion.

17. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor substantially in alinement with and forming an extension of the armature shaft thereof, a pinion through which said shaft passes adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, an eccentric weight secured to said pinion acting centrifugally to prevent re-meshing of said pinion after said engine has been started and said gear moved out of mesh therewith, and a coiled spring for transmitting force for the meshing impulse positioned to yieldingly resist movement of said pinion in a direction away from said gear in all positions of said pinion.

18. I11 engine starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor provided with a shaft extension in substantial alinement with its armature shaft, a pinion driven from said motor and mounted concentric with said shaft, means actuated by speed tending to move said pinion out of mesh upon said engine being started, and a spring coiled about said shaft and resiliently resisting unmeshing movement of said pinion. 1

19. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion member mounted upon said shaft adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, a collar member upon said shaft and movable endwise along the same, a spring interposed between said collar member and said pinion member and means connecting said collar member and said pinion member and adapted to permit movement of said collar member toward and away from said pinion member, one of said members being splined to said shaft and the other member being loose thereon.

20. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion en-v gine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion member mounted upon said shaft adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, a collar member upon said shaft and movable endwise along same, a spring interposed between said collar member and said pinion member and means connecting said collar member and said pinion member and adapted to permit movement of said collar member toward and away from said pinion member, one of said members being splined to said. shaft and the other member being loose thereon,

and manually actuated means adapted by a single movement'to move said collar member endwise along said shaft and to start said motor.

21. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion upon said shaft adapted to move endwise into mesh with said gear, a manually actuated part and means interposed between said part and said pinion adapted to move said pinion into mesh as said part is advanced, said means comprising a spring adapted with said part at its limit of advance to hold said pinion in a position of substantial mesh and capable of distortion to such degree as to permit said pinion to occupy a position out of mesh with said part at its limit of advance.

22. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, a starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted upon said shaft in position to move along said shaft into mesh with said gear, a manually actuated spring-retracted lever, a part connected with said lever to be moved thereby along said shaft, a spring coiled about said shaft between said part and said pinion, means symmetrically disposed about said shaft connecting said part and said pinion outside said spring and adapted to permit relative movement of said part and said pinion whereby said pinion is yieldingly advanced into meshing position by the force transmitted through said spring, and means adapted to start said motor upon said lever being actuated.

23. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, a starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion mounted upon said shaft in position to move along said shaft into mesh with'said gear, a manually actuated. lever, a collar connected with said lever to be moved thereby along said shaft, a spring coiled about said shaft between said collar and said pinion, means symmetrically disposed about said shaft connecting said collar and said pinion outside said spring and adapted to permit relative movement of said collar and said pinion whereby said pinion is yieldingly advanced into meshing position by the force transmitted through said spring,

and means adapted to start said motor upon said lever being actuated, the actuating means for said lever comprising a reciprocating pedal.

Zl. In starting apparatus for motor vehicles, in combination, a gear connected to be driven from an internal combustion engine, an electric starting motor, a shaft driven from said motor, a pinion member splined upon said shaft, a collar member loose upon said shaft, said pinion being normally between said collar and said gear, a coil spring interposed between said collar member and said pinion member and adapted to permit movement of said collar member toward and away from said pinion member, manually actuated means adapted by a single movement to move said collar member endwise along said shaft, for sliding said pinion through said spring into mesh With said gear, and stop means for limiting the stroke of said manually actuated means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification this 20th day of January, 1919.

JOSEPH BIJUR. 

